Method of diagnosing transmissible spongiform encephalopathies

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of pre-clinical and clinical diagnosis of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, characterised in that the altered expression of a marker protein is measured. In particular embodiments, in the method according to the invention, the marker protein measured is the prion protein PrP-sen or interferon gamma (IFNγ) or the laminin receptor (LR) or the laminin receptor precursor (LRP). The invention also relates to a test kit using antibodies specific to the marker protein according to the invention. The invention further relates to a test kit using oligonucleotides which are capable of hybridising under stringent conditions with the nucleic acid coding for the marker protein according to the invention. The invention further relates to the use of antibodies or oligonucleotides which are specific for the above-mentioned marker proteins in a method according to the invention. The invention further relates to the use of the test kit for diagnosing transmissible spongiform encephalopathies.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A diagnostic test kit for detecting transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, which comprises an element for detecting the altered expression of a marker protein for transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, wherein said marker protein is the cellular isoform of the prion protein PrP.  
     
     
         2 . The diagnostic test kit according to  claim 1 , characterised in that it contains antibodies specific to said marker protein for transmissible spongiform encephalopathies.  
     
     
         3 . The diagnostic test kit according to  claim 2 , characterised in that the antibodies are polyclonal.  
     
     
         4 . The diagnostic test kit according to  claim 2 , characterised in that the antibodies are monoclonal.